Citlali’s Story
Citlali Vázquez Escobar, a 2013 university graduate, is one of many students whose lives have been impacted by Arrow Outreach’s Starfish Scholarship Program over the years. Citlali’s family made sacrifices to fund her education beyond the sixth grade, but when she was only 14 her mother told her she would have to drop out of school because the family could no longer afford to pay tuition.
“I started crying because one of my biggest dreams had always been to graduate from college,” Citlali said. “I told my mom that God would help me and I would be able to achieve my dream.”
After hearing about her situation, Citlali’s church offered to help her find a way to pay for school and gave her a place to stay so she could avoid the long commute from her home. It was then that Citlali became a Starfish Scholarship recipient.
“Wanting to demonstrate with my grades how thankful I was, I gave my best effort,” Citlali said. “It wasn't always easy. Like all young people, I had some problems.”
Citlali explained, “When my mom died in 2008, I was even sadder because she wouldn't be able to see me succeed. I promised my mom that I would finish school for her. But I wasn't doing well emotionally. I got pregnant in 2009 and thought that they wouldn't continue giving me a scholarship. But when they found out, they told me that it should make me want to work harder since I would have someone else for whom I would have to make a good life. My son has given me the happiness I desired and the necessary company to continue.”
The death of her mother and birth of her son the following year made Citlali question whether her dream of being a college graduate was realistic. With the continued support of the Starfish Scholarship Program, she pushed through to graduate, with honors, with a teaching degree.
“The moment that I will never forget all my life is when they said ‘Graduate Citlali Vázquez Escobar’ at the graduation ceremony, and there it was, the big day I had been waiting for,” Citlali said. “It's not easy to be a single mother, be a university student, and work at the same time; but it's not impossible either. I hope that my story will serve as inspiration for other girls like me. With all my heart I thank you for believing in me and in my ability to achieve this great success that I longed for. Thanks to God for putting Arrow Outreach and its Starfish Scholarship Program in my life.”